Supreme Court Lets Stand Walgren's Conviction In Gamscam Bribery Case -- Justices Reject Claim Evidence Was Withheld

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court today let stand the bribery-related conviction of Gordon Walgren, former Washington state Senate majority leader.

The court, without comment, rejected arguments that politically motivated federal prosecutors withheld evidence helpful to Walgren's defense, denying him a fair trial.

Walgren's prosecution stemmed from a 20-month FBI undercover investigation called "Gamscam." Prosecutors said Walgren promised to use his legislative influence to legalize gambling in Washington in exchange for 18 percent in a corporation.

The corporation was fictitious, and its owners were FBI agents.

Walgren, former state House Speaker John Bagnariol and lobbyist Patrick Gallagher were convicted in the Gamscam case.

Walgren, 60, was sentenced to five years in prison after his 1980 convictions for mail fraud, racketeering and using a telephone to promote and carry on bribery. He was paroled in 1984 after serving two years.

A federal appeals court later overturned the mail-fraud and racketeering convictions but upheld the telephone-fraud conviction.

In the appeal acted on today, Walgren's lawyers said the FBI "sting" operation "was one of a number of apparently politically motivated (investigations) directed at public officials."

The appeal said Walgren had been contemplating a campaign to be the state's attorney general in 1980, and that Gamscam "was orchestrated by the Seattle U.S. attorney's office and the FBI, with help from the Washington State Patrol with encouragement from then-Gov. Dixy Lee Ray."

Walgren was disbarred from the practice of law but was readmitted in 1986. He is now a lobbyist in Olympia.